Real publishers might survive

Making Light: The "agency model" as I understand it.

Conversely, "self-publishing" may actually INCREASE the importance of "publishers" i.e. publishers = gatekeeping/editorial. With a flood of self-publish titles by unknowns, name brand publishers may increase the value of the Famous Well-known Publisher Seal of Approval. You scan a title on low impact development and you find 300 titles. A few maybe from (examples) Harvard University Press, a few from Random House and a whole bunch from John Does. Guess who you'll check out first? Btw, I am not saying that is good or bad -- just likely human nature. Of course the broad reach from John Doe's book could also surface to the top -- but some name brand marketing group (that is primarily what a publisher does -- marketing) might well invite John Doe to its rostrum.